crozier



Ne. 6|3,252. Patented Nev. I, |898. W. CROZIER.

UISPPEARING GUN MOUNTING.

(Application led Mar. 28, 1896,)

2 Sheets Sheet l.

No Model.)

No. 6l3,'252. Patened Nov. l, |898. W. CROZIER.

DISAPPEARING GUN MOUNTING.

- (Application med Mm". 2B. 189G.\ .No Model.) 2 Sheds-Sheet 2.

f Unirse rares Fries,

VLLIAM CROZIER, OF THE UNlTED STATES ARMY.

DlSAPPEARlNG-GUN MOUNTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,252, dated November1, 1898. Application tiled March 28, 1896. Serial No. 585,276flN model.)

tioned at Govcrnors lsland, in the State of` New York, have invented anew and useful i Improvement in Disappearing-Gun Mountings, (for which 1have obtained Letters Patent in Greatlritain, No; 19,590, datedSeptember Ll, 1396; France, No. 259,598, dated Septemher 11, 1896; inBelgium, No. 123,475, datedSeptember11,1896; in Italy, No.1l2,539, datedSeptember 11, 1890; in Austria, No. A/ihd?, dated `November 6, 1397, andin Spain, No. 19,661, dated September 19, 1896,) of which the followingis a specification sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to makeand use the saine.

' My invention relates tothat class of gunniountings in which the gun issupported movably and ceunterweighted so to disappear below the parapetformed within the pit automatically upon its recoil and resume itsfiring position by the aotionof the counterweight; and my invention,consists in means whereby to permit the gun to be turned to anyposition in azimuth and in certain other improvements f uily set forthhereinafter and illustrated in the' accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a disappearing-guncarriage, gun, and adjunets embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a frontview with the gun in an elevated position.

The carriage A has side frames 3 3, connected by cross-pieces to form arigid structure,and is supported by aturn-table B,whieh is under therear portion of the carriage, and in most instances l prefer to makeuse, in combination with these parts, of a second outer and concentricturn-table L. These turn-tables may be of any suitable construcltion. Asshown, there are annular bed-rails e 5 secured to the Yfoundation andannular i upper rails j 7 connected with the carriage in two carriers EE, movable upon rails or guides 13 13 of the carriage A. The carriers Emay be sliding carriers bearing directlyvon the rails 13, or they may beprovided with Wheels or otherwise movable; but preferably the carriage Ais provided with a series of friction-rollers 14, arranged so closelytogether-that the carriers E` may slide with little friction thereon.

From the, lower end of the frame D hangs a eounterweight G, or the frameis otherwise suitably counterweighted, so that except by the recoil ofthe gun or the application of power to positively draw it down toward aloading position the eounterwcighting means Will serve to carry the gunto and maintain it in its firing position.

The guides or supports 13 for the carriers E instead of beinghorizontal, as heretofore, are inclined downward toward the forward endof the carriage A. This secures an increased resistance to the backwardmovement of the gun upon recoil and'facilitates the forward movement toelevate the gun, thereby reducing the weight of the counterweight Grrequired-to reduce recoil and secure the proper quick elevation of thegun to iiring position.

Vith the parts described is combined any suitable restraining device. Ihave shown a device in the form of hydraulic cylinders formed in thecarriers E, with stationary pistons upon stationary piston-rods 1 7,supported by the carriage, these cylinders being provided with a supplyof Water or other fluid and with circulating-pipes, as is common in thisclass of appliance, and therefore need not be fully illustrated.

To properly direct the movements of the breech of the gun, I make use ofcontrollingrods, as heretofore, such rods havin g bearings4 at theirupper ends'for trunnions 18 upon a strap 19, encircling the breeohof thegun, and thelowerend of each rod being pivoted at y to a slide 20,sliding between guides 21 upon the' side frames of the carriage A andmovable by means of a rack 22 upon the slide engaging a pinion Thepinion 23 is driven or turned through the medium of gears 241. 25, thelatter upon a shaft having a hand-wheel 26, and a' suitablefrictionbrake---as, for instance, a ring 27-which is surrounded by astrap I2S, the ends of which may be brought together roo with more orless force bymeans of any suitable device, as a screw-shaft 29, havingreverse thi eads fittin g those in ears at the end of the strap. By thismeans, after raising the slide 20 to any desired position, it may besecured in place by tightening the frictionbrake or other detent. Tosecure the increased rigidity, the rods I I may be connected by anintervening brace 30.

To the carriage A,.at one side, is secured a ladder-frame J, supportinga platform 3l and hand-rail 32 in suitable position for the ofiicer whosights or controls the tiring of the piece, and adjacent tothissupporting-platform is a standard 33, arranged in fixed relation to thecarriage and upon which the sighting instrument may be attached. At therear yof the carriage 4is supported the frame K, used l for elevatingthe projectile, and with a suit able annular rack-as, forA instance, arack 35 at the inside of theflauge of the l'ower rail of the turn-tableL-engages a pinion' 36 on a shaft driven through intermediate gearingfrom' a pinion 37 on a shaft 38, supported by a bracket on the carriageand provided with crank-hand1es 39. By this means the carriage may bereadily turned to any suitable position.

The foundation is provided with an annular weil or opening X to receive`the counterweight G and permit the gun-carriage to be turned to anysuitable position.

Heretofore in apparatus of this character the axis of horizontalrotation has coincided with4 the axis of the counterweight at the for-Ward end of the mounting, with -the result that the rotation of thecarriage Was limited in each direction from the contact of some part ofthe gun-mounting with the parapet after revolving the carriage to alimited extent. I overcome this objection in the construction abovedescribed by arranging thefturntable in such respect to the carriage andgun and appurtenances that the-axis of the turntable is about midwaybetween the extreme ends of the apparatus when the gun is in loadingposition, so that it is then possibleito rotate the gun in azimuth in apit or emplacement of the vsmallest possible diameter, exceeding only bya slight selected extent the total length of the apparatus andpermitting the gun to be brought to any desired position in azimuth.

While a second turn-table L is not absoi .lutely essential, it secures abetter support for the carriage and for those portions upon oppositesides of the counterweight G which hang between the two turn-tables, andto cover the counterweight well and secure a convenient platform formaneuvering light floor-plates 40 are extended from one turntable to theother.

A small platform'M is attached to the right cylinder of the carrier' Efor standing upon when using a'sight attached to the trunnion lO of thegun4 C, Whereit is sometimes placed.

For hauling the gun from theriring to the loading position by hand arope-tackle 41 is rove through pulleys 42 and 43 on the .levers D andside frames 3, the free end of the rope being carried down to anysuitable windlass arrangement on the rear ends of the side frames.

i Having thusdescribed the precise construction and arrangementot partsshown, what I The combination ,with the carriage, gun, pivot'ed frameand counterweight of a disappearing gun, of aturn-table arranged beneaththe rear portion of the carriage, a concentric outer turn-table, acounterweight between the two turn-tables, and a well for receiving theWILLAM CROZIER.

Witnesses:

CHAs. KENDALL, FRANK HEATH, Jr.

